Vending machine



Sept. 22, 1931. c. c. MILLER VENDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 6, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 SePL 2,2, 1931- c. c. MILLER 1,824,441

VENDING MACHINE l Filed nec. e, 1928 5 shee-sheg: 3

lllllll Sept. 22, 1931. c. c. MILLER VENDING MACHINE Filed Deo. 6, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 SePt- 22, 1931- c. c. MILLER 1,824,441

VENDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 6. 1928 5 Sheets-ShamI 5 c r jvc F248 o I Patented sept. 22, 1931 Y UNITED STATE-s.

PATENT OFFICE oLYTUs c. MILLER, or MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE n vENnINd MAcHINE Application fired nece'iaber e, y192s". serial No. 324,195.

This invention relates toimprovements in vending machines and especially to machines of this class in which the operation is iiitiated by the insertion of a coin. It has especial relation to a machineJ for vending a number of articles of one kind, suchfor instance, as ordinary pencil tablets or flat boxes containing packaged articles. v

The objects of this invention are (a) To provide a Y vendingv machine in which the vending operation having been initiated by the insertion of a coin will there; after automatically be completed by the machine itself; y (b) To provide a vending machine for handling a large number of similararticles in which the weight of the articlesor-atleast a large proportion of them willy be prevented from resting on and thereby impeding the 20 operation of delivery of the particularone of the articles which is beingvended;

(c) To provide means in a vending machine for utilizing the weight of a number of. superimposed articles to assist 1n the opera tion of the machine;

(d) To provide kmeans perfect coins or slugs so thatthe machine will not be operated by them (e) To provide means for closing the coin slot when the machine is empty and thereby Vprevent coin insertion at such time; and

(f) To generally improve the design and construction of such a machine.4 y

The means by which the foregoing and other objects are accomplished and the met-h-- od of their accomplishment willl readily be understood from` the following specification on reference to the accompanying drawings,

in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation ofthe machine. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation.V f Fig. 3 is a side` elevation on approximately twice the scale of Figs. 1 and 2`showing the lower portion only of the machine.`

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan talrenon the line IV-V of Fig. 3, with the machine empty.

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation taken on the line V-V of Figs. 1 andt. looking in the direction of the arrow showing the lower p01`` tion only of the device.

for` diverting im- Fig. 6 isasimilar sectional elevation taken on-the line VI-VI of Figs. 2 and4.

` .Fi 7 is asectional rear elevation taken on the llne VII-VII ofv Fig. 3, showing oper ating and governing mechanism.

Figs. 8 and 9 are. respectively fragmentary front'and sideelevationsof a portion of the machine showing the coin slot closure mecha-V nism. Y V .1. Referring now to `the drawings, in which the various parts yare indicated by numerals, the, machine comprises a base 10 from which fourside members 11 extend vertically upward forming the frame of they machine. The upper ends of these side membersare connected together by a top 12., l Secured `to thel frame members l1,v near the top and, bottom ends thereof are braclr'-V ets 13 in which are journalled two top'shafts lllland two'bottom shafts y15. Mountedon each of the top shafts and on each ofthe bottom shafts are pairs of sprocket wheels 16, 17 respectively-,each sprocket k17 being vertically vbelow and innalignmenty with a top sprocket 16. 18 lare'sprocket chains eachj disposed onl a top sprocket 16 and'bottom sprocket y17, and secured to' and connecting the pairV of chains on 'each side ofthe machineare shelves 19 preferably made of very light angle iron.V f Eachof the shafts 15 extends rearwardlyV beyond therear bearing 13 and is journalled in an additional' bearing20 beyond which bearing it projects. Mounted on and secur-f ed to the end of the shafts l'iare gears 21, which gearsmesh with and aredriven by pinions 22, these pinions 22 are mountedon. and secured tok shafts-23,which shafts are journalled in suitable bearings projecting from the-base 10.. 24 are bevel pinions mounted ony and secured to the oppositeends of lthe shafts 23, which, pinions mesh with andare drivenl by bevel pinions 25, which latter pinions are both mounted onand se-v cured to a" transverse shaft 26, journalled in suitable bearings in the base, thus synchro'- nizing'rotation of the shafts 15..

Alsomounted on and secured to the shaft 26 is a sprocket pinion 27, which is driven by a sprocketfgear 28 through a 1sprocketchain tof 29, this chain also passes around an idler and drives a sprocket pinion 31, which is secured o-n a transverse shaft 32.

The driving gear 28 is mounted on and secured to a transverse power shaft 33 which shaft passes through a casing 34 in which is enclosed a typical vform of coil spring driving mechanism, which mechanism being of any usual type, need not be illustrated.k 35l is a worm gear mounted on and secured to the shaft 83 which gear meshes with a worm 36 secured on a shaft 37. Thel end of the shaft 37 is square so that a crank may be placed thereon for the purpose of winding the driving spring. Y

Mounted on the shaft 26, which is driven by the pinion 25 are two sprocket gearsi38. 39 is an idler shaft parallel -tozatheshaft 26 on which shaft sprocket gears 40 preferably identical in size with the gear 38 are mounted. 41 are vending sprocketchainaeach 'of which` chains is disposedaround a'spro-cket- 38 and a sprocket 40 and carries fourdelivery dogs 42.

Mounted on and secured to the shaft.v are gears 43, 44 and a cam 45. The gear 43mesheswith a pinion 46 which is mountedl on and secured toa shaft 47 on whichin turn is secured a gear 48, which gear meshes with a pinion 49 secured on a' shaft 50. Secured on the shaft 50 is a gear 51 which meshes with a gear 52 mounted on a shaft 53` The gear 52v meshes with a pinion 54 which is secured on a shaft 55 on which shaft is mounted a governor 56, the gears 43-45,

actuat-es a counter 60, through the intermediary of the rocker arms 61, 62, connecting rod 63, and the arm 64. The counter which kis for Ythe purpose of recording the number of articles vended being of 'some usual or de-z sired make purchased inthe open market, need not be here illustrated.

The cam'45is furnished with oppositely disposed pockets which pockets are in turn engaged byva roller 66 carried on one end of a rocker arm 67, fthe roller 66 being,

adapted vto drop yinto each of the pockets 65V insuccessio-n and thereby to check or limit the movement of the cam 45 to'half aturn. The rocker arm 67 is securedto a shaft 68 which passes through and is journalled in c. the frame member 69. This frame member against a trip cam 73,;whichcam pivotally,

supported by a pin 74 projecting from the frame member 69. Y

Integral with the cam 73, and disposed oppositely thereto with relation to the pin 74, is atrigger 75 adapted to be depressed by a coin 76 dropping thereon.

lMountedon the governor shaft is a disc 77 which is shifted to the left in Fig. 7 against'oppositely disposed brake pads 78 as the governor speeds up. These brake pads are carried byY arms 79 pivotally mounted which may be shifted to adjust the brake tension by the thumb-nut 80. Also mounted on the governor shaft is a disc 115, abovewhich an'arcua'te brake shoe 116 is carried by al'lexible arm 117. The arm 117 is depressedby the cam 59 and applies a brake directly to the governor to positively stop the same. This stopping action is so timed that the cam releases the governor again-as the roller 6 6 seats in the cam notch 65;.,

81 are parallel rails extending from front to rear of thebase 10.,and' lying alongside and parallel to the chains 41 on which rails the article to be vended, rests. 82 are vertical stop plates'attached to the rear of the rear frame members 11 and extending upward therewith substantially their entire height.` 83 are similar stop `plates attached to the front frame members 11, these latter stop plates however are provided with slots 84 through.,which-are disposed pins 8,5 so that they may be; laterally shifted in charging .the machine. where thej'm'achine is enclosed in a cabinet as it'should be, -these stop' plates are dispensed with and their function assumed'by the cabinet.

86 are articles such as writing tablets disposed onthe shelves 19.` It will be particularly noted that each pair of shelves supports a number of these tablets and prevents the weight thereof from being transmitted to the tablets therebelow' and that likewise It will be understood that additional tablets thereabove are supported Y ingroups by the shelves. Preferably the distances between shelves is so arranged that a dozen of the articles to be vended may be carried by each pair'of shelves.

87 isa coin slot from which a coin chute 88 leads rearwardly and downwardly. 89 is a swinging-chute pivotally supported at 90 and counterbalanced by an adjustably mounted weight 91, and disposed above this chute is a horseshoe magnet-92. Leading from the end of the swinging chute 89 when in raised position isa slug chute 93 and disposed immediately below this is an operating chute` 94.v 'Each of these chutes terminates in a-vertical'ly disposed chute 95, 96 respectively. The chute 95 which leads from the slug chute'93 is provided with a deflectingV portion 97 through which diverted slugs pass to a receptacle 98. vThe chute weight will be held up by the magnet and such slug likewise be diverted to the slug receptacle. It will be especially noted that anyr slug which is diverted will not Ybe returned to the yperson attempting to defraud y the machine and that therefore in any one neighborhood or especially in schools where vending machines VAare installed, the supplyv of slugs will diminish and the loser thereof will spread the news, from such attempts.

In order to prevent the attempted operation of the machine when the same is empty, or as I prefer to make it, when there is only one tablet left therein, I provide a slot closing plate 99 having inclinedslots thus deterring others i 100 therein, through which latter slots pins 101 are passed. This plate when pulledv downward will also shift laterally and close the coin slot 87. Secured to and depending from this plate is a rod 102 the lower fend of which is carried by a crank arm 103, which is oscillatably mounted in a bracket 104.v

Secured to the rod 102, is a bracket 105 having a boss 106, through which Va rod 107 isslidably disposed.

ing downward movement of this rod and` providing for adjustment of the lengthL thereof. 109 is a bell crank lever withthe- 108 is a thumb-nut` limithorizontal armof which leverthe lower end of the rod 107 is connected.- 110 is a tension tends downward andA engages lagainst the" articles which are being `4vended.. Then ils' these articles drop below the end 4of this spring pulling this arm downward. `The bell crank lever 109 is mounted on -a pin 111 projecting forwardly from the iframe member 11 and has a vertical portionwhieh'exvertical arm the spring 110 acting downward causes the plate 99 vto move downward- Y ly and laterally and therebycloses the 'coin 50- slot. y The crank which is oscillatably mounted in the bracket 104, and to this arm a Hap 1.14is secured, the opposite end of this flap being similarly mounted. This flap is swung outward eachv time an article is vendedpand'depresses the' rod 102 when s o swung thusindependently closing the coin slot and preventing operation of the machine until the article is en- GO' tirely removed. n v- It will be noted that theweight of the'articles to be vended resting on the shelves 19 urges these shelves downward and, through the'chains which carry the shelves,

thisaction is transferred to the shafts 15,Ik

be regulated-to coordinate with the number of 'deliveries made'by the chain, and the thickness of the article delivered. It will be noted from Fig. 6, that the diameterof the sprocket 38 is such that onehalfturn of this sprocket is necessary in order to advance the uppervlug 42 to thel position now occupied by the next forward lug, which movement constitutes one delivery cycle. IThe sprocket 38 is mounted on the shaft r26 fand this shaft, through the bevel gears 24-25, the pinions21 and the gears 22, transfers the movement to the downwardly moving shelves. Preferably the gears 24 and 25 are of equal size,'the relation-therefore of the pinions 21 and the gears 22,'together -with the diameter of the sprockets 17 must be such that one-half revolution ofthe pinion 38 gives exactly a downward movement equal' to the space between two 4'shelves -divided bythe number ofarticles thereon. In the'presentcase the shelves are two and one-halfjinehes kapart and each shelf is designed toaccommodate 12 articles. Each of the sprockets 17 has eight teeth of one`halfinch pitch, so that each revolution of the sprocket moves the shelves down four inches, thus 5/96 of a revolution is required. The relation of the halfrevolution pinion 21 to the gear 22 is 10 to 96 whichiaccomplishes the', ratio. i @It will heunderstood that for a different number of' articles filling the 'shelves the ratios of the pinions 21 and gears 22 will necessarily be correspondingly'varied.

In using the'machine the front guards arA shifted fandk one" dozen/'tablets are placed o1 each pairI of shelves`19funtil the machin is filled or such number as may be desired placedv therein. Thespriiig motor is then vwound up Vby m'eansfof the shaft 37 and the machine isready for use. A coinfdropped inthefcoin slot'87 'passes through the coin v g chute 88 into the swinging chute 89, whence, arm 103 1s carrled by a rod 112 if it is too light or of magnetic material, it passes into thev slug chute 93 without operating the machine. `If the coin is of proper weight it depresseslthechute 89 and passes thence 'into *the chuteV 94 `thence intoV the chute 96 and on to trigger75`, depressing thel latter and( causing the tripping cam 73 to shift thelower end ofthe arm laterally,

this movement shifts the upper end of the f arm 67, disengaging the roller stop y66 from the cam 45 and permitting the kspring motor through the train of 'gearing shown, toA rotate the cannone-half turn. If the' speed of rotation should build upv too fast, the governor-will actlthroughthebrake pads to regulategthe speed. The, accompanyingl move?` ment of the vending chains and lugs moves the-particular tablet being vended, as shown in Fig. 6,forward from the position A to a the dotted positionr B, displacing the flap 114, in so doing, 'and this tablet is then in position to be pulled out by the purchaser. While a tablet is thus projecting, and the flap displaced the rod 102 is held in ldepressed position land the coin slot closed.

disc leaving the governor free to rotate at.

the beginning of the next vendingv movement. Y

It willbe. understood that this machine will probably be enclosed in a cabinet and that as a matter of fact a number of these machinesfmay beassembled side by sidein cabinets but these cabinets would not con- 3stitute any realpart of this invention and they are therefore not shown.

It will further be understood that various modifications may be made in this device without departing from the spirit of this 1j invention and I do not wish therefore to be limited to the specific det-ail herein shown except as the same may be hereinafter speciically set out in the claims.

vHaving described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a power operated apparatus having coin actuatedmeans for initiating operation, a vending machine including a pair of parallel horizontally disposed rails, whichare adapted to support articles to be vended, means for disposing articles thereon, a pair of shafts extending lfrom rail to rail and substantially at right angles thereto, aligned pairs of sprocket wheels carried by said shafts, and lying slightly below said rails, chains each carried by a pair of said sprocket wheels, lugs equally spaced, carried by said chains and adapted to be advanced thereby in progressive cycles, into, along, and out of, the path of. an article on said rails, and means for effectuating and controlling said advancement, comprising a motor, gearing connecting said motor and one of said sprocket shafts,a cam shaft, a

II cam secured thereon, said cam having pockets equally spaced around the periphery thereof, a detent adapted to engage said pockets successively, means for releasing said detent from one of said pockets, and for '.engaging same with a succeeding pocket,

gearing connecting, and" synchronizing movement of said cam and said chains, whereby release vof said detentfrom one of said pockets and engagement with a second thereof will permit a cycle of movement of saidchainlugs; a governor, gearing connecting said l,governor vand said cam shaft and driving said governor lat an increased speed over said cam shaft, a diskonsaid governor shaft, a brake shoe adapted to engage against said disk, a rotatable `member adapted to force saidshoeagainst said disk, and gears driving said member from, and timing same with, `said cam shaft, whereby said member will force said shoe against said disk Vas said cam---pocketsgapproach said detent` therefor', and release saine as--said detent seats.l in said pocket.

2. In a power operated apparatus having coin actuatedmeans forinitiating operation, a vending machine including a, pair of parallel horizontally disposedrails, vwhich are adapted to support articles to be vended, means for vdisposing articles thereon, av pair of shafts extending from rail-toi-rail. and substantially at right angles thereto, aligned pairs ofsprocket wheels carried4 by,. said shafts, and lying slightly1 below said rails, chains each carried by a-pair of said sprocket wheels, four lugs equally spaced,YT carried by each of said, chains and adapted to be advanced thereby yin progressive cycles, into, along, and out of, the path of an article on said rails, and means for effectuating and controlling said movement comprising a motor, gearing connecting said motor and one of said sprocket shafts, a cam shaft, a

' cam secured thereon, said cam having a pair of pockets oppositely disposed on the periphery thereof, a detent adaptedv to engage said pockets successively, means forreleasing said detent from one of said pockets, and for engaging same with a succeeding pocket, gearing connecting-and synchronizing movement of, said lcam and said chains, whereby release of said detentv from one of said pockets and engagement with the second thereof will permit a cycle of movc ment Yof said chain lugs, a governor-,gearing connecting said governor and said cam shaft and driving said governor lat an increased speed over said cam shaft, a disk on said governor shaft, abrake shoe adapted toV engage against said disk,a rotatable member adapted to force saidshoe against said. disk, and gears driving said member from and timingsame with, said cam shaft whereby said member will force said shoe against said disk as said cam pockets approach said detent therefor, and release same as lsaid dctent seats in said pockets E 3. In a power ope-rated apparatus having coin actuated means for initiating operation, a vending machine including a pair of parallel horizontally vdisposed rails,

which are adapted to support articles to be Vended, means for disposing articles thereon, a pair of shafts extending from rail to rail and substantially at right angles thereto, aligned pairs of sprocket wheels carried by said shafts, and lying slightly below said rails, chains each carried by a pair of said sprocket wheels, lugs equally spaced, carried by said chains and adapted to be advanced thereby in progressive cycles, into, along, and out of, the path of an article on said rails, and means for Veflectuating and controlling said advancement, comprising` a motor, gearing connecting said motor and one of said sprocket shafts, a cam shaft, a cam secured thereon, said cam having pockets equally spaced around the periphery thereof,

a detent adapted to engage said pockets successively, means for releasing said detent from one' of said pockets, and for engaging same with a succeeding pocket, gearing connecting, and synchronizing movement of, said cam and said chains, whereby release of said detent from one of said pockets and engagement with a second thereof will permit a cycle of movement of said chain lugs and force an article placed on said rails into delivered position.

4. In a power operated apparatus having coin actuated means rfor initiating operation, a vending machine including a pair of parallel horizontally disposed rails, which are adapted to support articles to be vended, means for disposingarticles thereon, a shaft extending from rail to rail and substantially at right angles thereto, means actuatable by said shaft adapted to be advanced thereby into, along, and out of the path of an article on said rails, and to be retracted by said shaft into position for additional advancement, and means for eectuating and controlling said advancement comprising a motor, gearing connecting said motor and said shaft, a cam shaft, a cam secured therepockets approach said detent therefor, and release same as said detent seats in said pocket.

5. Inra power operated apparatus having coin actuated means for initiating operation, a vending machine including a pair Aof parallel horizontally disposed rails, which are adapted to support articles to be vended, means for disposing articles thereon, a shaft extending from rail to rail and substantial-V ly at right angles thereto, means actuatable by said shaft adapted to be advanced thereby into, along, and out of the path of an article ony said rails, and to be retracted by said shaft into position for additional advancement, and means for effectuating and controlling said advancement comprising a motor, gearing connecting said motor and said shaft, a cam shaft, a cam secured thereon, said cam having pockets equally spaced around the periphery thereof, a detent adapted to engage said pockets successively, means for releasing said detent from one of said pockets, and for engaging same with a o succeeding pocket, gearing connecting, and synchronizlng movement of, said cam and -said shaft, whereby release of said detent from one of said pockets and engagement with ,a second thereof will permit a cycle of movement of said actuating means, and force an article disposed on said rails into delivered position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

` CLYTUS C. MILLER.

on, said cam having pockets equally spaced around the periphery thereof, a detent adapted to engage said'pockets successively, means for releasingsaid detent from one of said pockets, and Vfor engaging same with a succeeding pocket, gearing connecting, and synchronizing movement of, said cam and said shaft, whereby release of said detent from one of said pockets and engagement with a second thereof will permita cycle of movement of said actuating means, a governor, gearing connecting said governor and said camshaft and driving saidV governor at an increased speed over said cam shaft, a disk on said governor shaft, a brakey shoe adapted to engage against said disk, a rotatable member adapted to force said shoe against said disk, and gears driving said member from, and timing same with, said cam shaft whereby said member will force said shoe against said disk as said cam 

